A cheese-making vat comprising a closed vessel having a central vertical shaft and agitator paddles are attached to the lower end of the shaft. During the cheese-making process, a portion of the whey is withdrawn from the upper end of the vat while the agitators are operating. To withdraw the whey, a tube is inserted into the upper end of the vat and the lower end of the tube carries a perforated cylindrical strainer which may be covered by a fabric filter bag. Whey is drawn through the strainer and into the tube. A generally S-shaped baffle is located ahead of the cylinder in the direction of agitator rotation and serves to protect the strainer from direct impingement by the circulating whey.